By Irdina Zainudin
GOMBAK 8 April 2023: The Alumni Relations Division together with the Disability Services Unit (DSU) organised an iftar program on 31 March 2023 (Friday) was attended by students with disabilities and first year students.
The purpose of the program was to encourage a closer relationship between students with disabilities and other student bodies which was done through the iftar itself.
The program was also to intended to see students with special needs beyond their disability and to understand them better, according to the Head organizer of the program, the Director of the Alumni Relations Divisions, Mr. Mir Azrul bin Shaharudin.
The Quran recitation was done by IIUM final year undergraduates of the Quran and Sunnah Department, Ahmad Danial Mohd Sani, who was blind recited Surah ˜Abasa from verse 1-10 using braille Quran.
The recitation was followed by a tazkirah session regarding disability and autism by IIUM first year PhD student in Quran and Sunnah, Nur Arif bin Jasmin, who was diagnosed with moderate autistic.
Arif begun his tazkirah with a quick explanation of autism, a neurological disorder which caused those with autism to have difficulties in socializing and having their own style of communicating.
Arif also talked about the social acceptance of people around him, how they treated him due to his condition and that while there were people who accepted him, there were still people who treated him unfairly.
Mr. Mir Azrul hoped that they could continue this program to live up to the theme of togetherness, especially considering one of IIUMs vision is the integration of the IIUM community.
He also mentioned that for their grand iftar program, they would do it picnic style in front of MAR building on 15 April 2023 (Saturday).
Students also received door gifts from BadLab and Good Virtues Co.***